In simple terms, portrait painting is a painting of a person, with a focus on the face. Portrait paintings are among the most popular genres of painting and have been around for centuries. Famous paintings such as the Mona Lisa and Portrait of Jan Six are among the most well-known portrait paintings in the world.
Traditional portrait paintings usually feature the subject, that is, the person being painted, from the shoulders or waist up. Sometimes, the painting may be a full-body painting, but the main theme or focus will always be the face.